Chris Znerold Product + Brand Systems · AI Design Engineering

Colorado’s Happy Place

CMO at Native Roots, 2017 to 2020 Launched

Strategy:

The real story is store growth. Each new location was designed around a category-led experience rather than a regulatory and compliance one, with a flower bar to lean over and shelves you could browse.

Design:

The stores, with the flower bar in the middle and a counter per category. The 'You, but Better' campaign across out of home, print and radio, the brand refresh and the merch.

Leadership:

I led fifteen direct reports and built the in-house studio, industrial design through media buying. THC is regulated, so we worked the legal route and launched a CBD business that could go on a billboard.

During my tenure, the company posted its most profitable and highest-revenue year. Revenue grew more than ten percent a year for three years, and transactions grew with it.

Product in Hand

A counter per category.

Each category gets its own counter, so the room reads as a store rather than a checkpoint. Open shelves, wood, and moss letters on the wall.

A category counter in wood and glass, the moss letters behind
Drawings for a new location: the storefront elevation and the counter plan

Product in Life

It leaves the store on a hoodie.

The brand walks out with the customer: a lighter, a beanie that says Happy Place, a water bottle that says wake, bake, repeat. In a category that cannot advertise, the customer is the billboard.

The flower bar island in the middle of the room, open shelves and the moss letters along the walls
191108_NR_Lighter.png
191208_NativeRoots_Sweatshirt_Hoodie.png
191205_NR_Apparel_Beanie_HappyPlace_TAN.png
200128_NR_DadHat.png
gold_Shirt_01.jpg
191205_NR_Apparel_Beanie_Basic_GRN.png
190907_NR_Apparel_NativeRoots_TieDye.png
191108_NR_PopSocket.png
190907_NR_Apparel_Bandana.png
GrownwLove_Hemp.png
191108_NR_WaterBottle_NRBlack.png
pocket-tee.jpg
190907_NR_Apparel_LiberateHappiness_Wht.png
190907_NR_Apparel_NativeRoots_Ochre_ShortSleeve.png
hoodie_01.jpg
190907_NR_Apparel_WakeBakeExplore_Blue.png
windbreaker_01.jpg
190907_NR_Apparel_GrownWLove_LongSleeve_Wht.png
190907_NR_Apparel_HappyPlace_Wht.png
190907_NR_Apparel_NativeRoots_QualityCannabis.png
191107_NR_WaterBottle_WakeBakeExplore.png

Advertising Design —

You, but Better.

You, but01/9
You, but campaign, out of home 1 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 2 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 3 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 4 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 5 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 6 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 7 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 8 of 9
You, but campaign, out of home 9 of 9

Radio Advertisements

Babbling Bliss
Open Space Omm
Mountain Moment
River Breeze
Brand book01/16
Native Roots brand book, spread 1 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 2 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 3 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 4 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 5 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 6 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 7 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 8 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 9 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 10 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 11 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 12 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 13 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 14 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 15 of 16
Native Roots brand book, spread 16 of 16

Product in Culture

Say what you are allowed.

A regulated category advertises what it is allowed to say and sells what it is not. THC could not go on a Denver billboard. CBD could, so the billboard said 'You, but tranquil'.

A bus shelter at night: You, but tranquil, over the CBD marketplace address
3Years

Revenue grew more than ten percent a year, and transactions grew with it.

15Direct reports

The in-house studio I built, industrial design through media buying.

Position:

CMO at Native Roots

Services:

Leadership, Strategy, Design

Partner:

Native Roots

Status:

Launched, 2020